Hulk fires Brazil past error-prone Denmark

Brazil's Hulk scored twice and created another goal to lead his team to a 3-1 victory over Denmark in a friendly match in Hamburg on Saturday, with the error-prone Scandinavians in need of improvement ahead of next month's Euro 2012.

Published

26 May 2012

With their first Group B match just two weeks away on June 9 against Netherlands, Denmark coach Morten Olsen will be no doubt reviewing their defensive operation after his players conceded by gifted the ball to Brazil three times in the first half.

The touring South Americans will also play three friendlies in the United States in the coming weeks as coach Mano Menezes prepares their assault on the Olympic gold medal - the only trophy missing from their vast collection.

It took his young and quick team eight minutes to take the lead with Porto's Hulk winning possession and releasing a sizzling strike from 28 metres with the ball bouncing awkwardly in front of keeper Thomas Sorensen and into the net.

They doubled their lead five minutes later when Christian Poulsen lost possession in his own half, Hulk stormed into the box and used an unlucky deflection from Niki Zimling to see the ball roll into goal.

The introduction of Thomas Kahlenberg briefly added some pace to the Danish side and much-needed support for lone forward Nicklas Bendtner but another blunder, this time from Daniel Agger, allowed Hulk to wrongfoot Sorensen for his second goal of the game.

With Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho in the stands for a glimpse at the string of talented young Brazilians, Agger failed to make amends two minutes after the restart when he managed to misfire from a metre out.

But Zimling did make up for his own goal, driving past three Brazilians into the box and setting up Bendtner for a simple tap in after 71 minutes with Brazil having taken their foot off the gas.

Denmark have been drawn in Group B in Ukraine and Poland alongside Netherlands, Portugal and Germany.